Pneumatic valve-action.



F. L. YETTS.

PNEUMATIC VALVE ACTION.

\PPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1910.

1,013,259. Patented Jan.2, 1912.

FRANK L. YETTS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PNEUMATIC VALVE-ACTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2,1912.

-application filed July 11, 1910. Serial No. 571,338

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1,.FRANK L. Yn'r'rs, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in New York, in the borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Valve-Actions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved pneumatic valve-action for piano-players and other mechanical musical instruments, which, by the arrangement of some of the ducts and valve-seats in the stationary member of the pneumatic, furnishes a simple construction of the action, permits the convenient removal of the pneumatic from the suction-chest for inspection and repairs, and which can be made at a considerably lower cost than the pneumatic valve-actions heretofore in use.

The invention consists of a pneumatic valve-action in which the stationary member of the actuating pneumatic is provided with a suction-duct and seats for an admission-valve actuated by a diaphragm which is located in a recess in the bottom of the suction-chest, the stationary member of the pneumatic being also provided with a duct leading to the suction-chest and a channel communicating with the atmosphere, the space' below the diaphragm communicating by a channel and pipe with one of the primary chests connected with one of the tracker-channels and by a vent-channel and duct with the suction-chest. A strap having an angular extension, is attached by screws to opposite ends of the stationary member of the pneumatic for permitting the removal of the latter from the suction-chest for inspectionand repairs.

The invention consists further of certain details of construction which will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurt 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section through my improved pneumatic valve-action and through a primary valve connected with the same and thc'tracker, and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a plurality of pneumatic valve-acti0ns arranged side by side.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures of the drawings. 1

Referring to the drawings, 41 represents the stationary member of a bellows or pneu= matic A of the usual construction and a the movable member of the same, which is connected at its outer end by a vertical rod 7) provided with felt-buttons at its upper and lower ends, the lower end being connected with an intermediate lever b which is fulcrumed to a lug 6 supported in asuitable manner in the casing of the piano. The

opposite end of the lever b engages a projection d on the upstrike or abstract d of the piano-action. The lower end of the upstrike or abstract at rests on a stud c at the rear-end of the key-lever e of the piano-action. p

The stationary member a of the pneumatic A is supported on the metallic topplate f of a suction-chest f which is supported at its ends by the side-walls of the piano-case and closed at its lower part by a bottom-plate f The pneumatic A is held in position by a metallic strap P, which is provided with an angular extension 1 at oneend and which is provided with recesses f at its opposite end, the angular extension lapping under the underside of the stationary member a and being connected thereto by a screw-bolt g and thumb-nut 9 while the opposite straight and recessed end of the strap f is attached to the opposite end of-the stationary member a by screwposts f that are applied to the opposite end of the stationary member a. The suctionchest f supports a plurality of pneumatics,

A which are arranged in a row or tier thereon. Any individual pneumatic A can be readily removed from the top of the suctionchest f by unscrewing the thumb-nut g at the angular end of the retaining strap f removing the latter, and then lifting the opposite end of the pneumatic so that it can be removed withthe fastening screws f over the top-plate of the suction-chest for permitting the inspection and repair of the pneumatic and by removing all the pneumatics the inspection and repair of the suction-chest and the valves located thereon.

The stationary member a of the pneumatic A is provided with an inclined duct 0 which communicates by a short hannel 0 with a transverse recess 0" in th ationary member. Vertically below the recess O, ilS arranged a recess 0 in the bottom of the suction-chest which recess is covered by a diaphragm ii that carries at its center, by means of a socket il a valve-stem h ,'which latter passes through an opening of in the top-plate of the suction-chest into the recess 0 of the stationary member (1.. A valve 71 is attached to the upper end of the valvestem and preferably formed of a plate of aluminum which is faced on both sides with leather in the usual manner. The valve 2' rests when in its lower position on the top-plate f and in its upper position on a seat 2' formed around the recess 0 in the stationary member. The top-plate f of the suction-chest f serves as a support for the pneumatics of all the valve-actions arranged thereon and as a seat for all the valves 2'. From the interior recess 0 of the stationary member a extends an inclined channel 0 through the solid end of the stationary ineinher by which communication with the at mosphere is established, the channel 0 being made Wide enough so as to permit the free ingress of the air when the valve 2' is to be returned to its normal position oi" rest.

The suction-chest as Well as the space below the diaphragm b of the pneumatic valveaction are connected by small channels a, n with a vent-channel M, the vent-channel be ing closed by a small block 771 that is screwer onto the frontend of the suction-chest below the end of the stationary member a, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said block being provided With a channel m into which a flexible pipe 79 is inserted, which is connected with a pri mary valve V that is arranged above each pneumatic and which is made of the usual construction, and by a second pipe 9 with the corresponding tracker-channels.

My improved pneumatic valve-action is operated as follows: As soon 380118 of the perforations in the music-sheet passes over one of the channels in the tracker, the pneumatic valve-action connected therewith is called into action. The atmosphere passes through the pipe 72 the primary valve V and the pipe ya, into the space below the diaphragm, so that the latter lifted and simultaneously therewith the valve 2' raised, so that it is moved away from its normal position of rest on its seat on the top-plate of the suction-chest onto the seat 2' around the recess 0 The lifting of the valve places the interior of the pneumatic into communication with the suction-chest by the duct 9 and opening 0* and channel 0 and produces the instant collapsing of the pneumatic and the operation of the pianoaction by the intermediate lever connection described. Simultaneously the valve 2' closes the recess in the stationary member and shuts ott' the communication by the inclined channel 0 With the pneumatic. As soon as the trackerchannel is closed again by the non-perforated portion or" the musiosheet, the ingress of air is interrupted, and the air in the space below the diaphragm is sucked over into the suction-chcst through the channel a the connecting vent-channel n and channel a so 60 that the diaphragm is returned into its lower position, together with the valve, which lat- ,ter is returned to its normal position on its seat on the topplate of the suction-chest and shuts oil the connection of the suction-chest with the pneumatic and establishes again the connection with the alinosphere through the channel. 0 The pneumatic is thereby enabled to expand to its normal condition, While the parts connected with its movable member, are returned to their normal position of rest.

Having thus described myinvention, ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. i he combination, with av suction-chest, of a diaphragm arranged in the same, a topplate for the suction-chest provided with an opening above the diaphragm, a stem on the diaphragm, a v ive connected to said stem and resting on the top-plate of the suctionchest, a pneumatic the stationary member of which is supported on the suction-chest and provided with a ducti or establishing communication with the suction-chest and with a second *luct for establishing communication with the atmosphere, a metallic strap extending around the suction-chest, and tening screws for connecting said strap W1" the stationary member of the pneumatic. 95

2. The combination, with a suction-chest, of a diaphragm arr' iged in the same, a topplate for the suction-ehest provided wi h an opening above rue diaphragm, a stem on the diaphragm, a valve connected to said stem and resting on the top-plate oi": the suctionchcs't, a pneumatic the stationary member which is sup ported on the suction-chest provided with a duct ilor cstablis co munication with the oachest and W a :econd duct for e. lishing coi nicatioi it h the atn'iospherc, said valve controlling said ducts, a metallic strap Xhltjir around the suction-chest, and fastcn iw :t'or connecting said strap a U did ona-y member of the pneumatic, ne of parting between said twtio mber and said top-plate being with tl e lower face. of the valve when valve is its lowest position.

In testimony, that l claim the s my invention, 1 have signed presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK L, ffl lftltii a WE;

llitnesses PAUL G-onrnn, FANNIE Finn. 

